Friday, December 4, 2009

A Blogger Who Begs on The Street

shooting pain
inhumanity
barefeet
the human
soul defecating
sorrow
in total defeat
karma dharma
even if it could cheat
the soul would still be
incomplete
if a photographer
cannot poetize pain
or tears in concrete
the final solution
control alt delete
photography of pain
capturing the death rattle
the dying moments
of a pictorial heart beat


kabhi har kabhi jeet

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The Rafaees and the Blogger Bawa

Most of the people who visit the Holy Shrine of Makhdoom Shah Baba , know me very well, a lot of them call me Mastan, I normally sit at the Holy Fire or Dhuni behind the Holy Shrine.A lot of them in humility ask me to pray for them, many give me alms , those who dont know me, I dont refuse I think I am the biggest beggar and my camera is a beggars bowl that pleads for pictures..

The money given to me as alms I give to the head of the Chancawalli order or to someone more needy than them.
I am very sad and in a state of total confusion , I no more feel like going to the Dhuni, as the i Bawas I knew have left the Chancawalli band of body piercing mendicants I shot for over 6 years.

I met a kid a teenager of Mahim who told me read my blogs.. he was the one who called me the Blogger Bawa..

Mahim Urus is a great high for the restless ever evolving soul.

I was asked to join the Rafaees as a honorary member and learn the art of body piercing I politely refused I am happy with what I do during Ashura and Chehlum..I shoot pictures promote peace goodwill , but my ideology of Faith lies elsewhere..

At the Kumbh I will shed all clothes at Hadwar just a loin cloth and become on with the Naga Sadhus on the day of the Shahi Snan..along with my Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of the Junagadh Akhada.


Yes being a commodity made in India has its own brand equity and uniqueness a stuff that spiritually cannot be diluted or be adulterated.

I wear a lot of jewelry but the one I cherish is what hangs around my soul - my faith in Ahle Bayt.

My Naga Guru calls me a Shia Sadhu too..

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The Rafaees and the Blogger Bawa

Most of the people who visit the Holy Shrine of Makhdoom Shah Baba , know me very well, a lot of them call me Mastan, I normally sit at the Holy Fire or Dhuni behind the Holy Shrine.A lot of them in humility ask me to pray for them, many give me alms , those who dont know me, I dont refuse I think I am the biggest beggar and my camera is a beggars bowl that pleads for pictures..

The money given to me as alms I give to the head of the Chancawalli order or to someone more needy than them.
I am very sad and in a state of total confusion , I no more feel like going to the Dhuni, as the i Bawas I knew have left the Chancawalli band of body piercing mendicants I shot for over 6 years.

I met a kid a teenager of Mahim who told me read my blogs.. he was the one who called me the Blogger Bawa..

Mahim Urus is a great high for the restless ever evolving soul.

I was asked to join the Rafaees as a honorary member and learn the art of body piercing I politely refused I am happy with what I do during Ashura and Chehlum..I shoot pictures promote peace goodwill , but my ideology of Faith lies elsewhere..

At the Kumbh I will shed all clothes at Hadwar just a loin cloth and become on with the Naga Sadhus on the day of the Shahi Snan..along with my Naga Guru Shri Vijay Giri Maharaj of the Junagadh Akhada.


Yes being a commodity made in India has its own brand equity and uniqueness a stuff that spiritually cannot be diluted or be adulterated.

I wear a lot of jewelry but the one I cherish is what hangs around my soul - my faith in Ahle Bayt.

My Naga Guru calls me a Shia Sadhu too..

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Mahim Police Sandal Makhdoom Shah Baba 2009

Sandal is the name given for sandal wood paste that will be placed on the Shrine of Makhdoom Shah Baba of Mahim..His Urus is a grand event for this Konkani Saint al Mahimi. along with a floral tribute called Chaddar.

Most of the Sufi saints owe the fragrance of their spirituality to Hazrat Ali..ibn Talib cousin of the Holy Prophet of Islam and also the husband of the Holy Prophets daughter Princess Fatima mother of Hassan Hussain..

I was lucky to shoot the preparation of the Sandal at Shakil Bawas Sandal last year..

As per tradition the first chaddar is placed by the Mahim cops, Makdoom Shah Baba being their patron Saint.

The cops predominantly Hindus are totally in spiritual awe of this sublime moment of placing the chaddar ar his Tomb.

This is the only time I shoot the spiritual soul of the Mumbai Police the finest secular police force of India.

I shoot this barefeet, and because of bad Mumbai roads I have punished my feet badly, I am a diabetic too..

The Rafaees are sword fencers and body piercers from the Qadri sect paying allegiance to Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani..

‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani ibn Salih ibn Jangidost, (Persian: عبد القادر گیلانی Abdolɢāder Gilāni) (also spelled Abdulqadir Gaylani, Abdelkader, Abdul Qadir, Abdul Khadir - Jilani, Jeelani, Jilali, Gailani, Gillani, Gilani,Al Gilani) (470–561 A.H.)(1077–1166 A.D.) was a Persian[1] Hanbali (Hambali) preacher, Sunni sheikh (Considered Sufi by "his followers"), and the figurehead of the Qadiri Sufi order. He was born on the first Ramadan in 470 A.H., 1078 A.D., in the Persian province of Gilan (Iran) south of the Caspian Sea. Since the Persian "G" does not exist in Arabic, his name has also been recorded as Kilani and Jilani in Arabic manuscripts.

Gilani belongs to the spiritual chain of Junayd Baghdadi. His contribution to thought in the Muslim world earned him the title Muhiyuddin (lit. "The reviver of the faith"), as he along with his students and associates laid the groundwork for the society which later produced stalwarts like Nur ad-Din and Saladin. His Sufi order named after him is generally thought to be the oldest and first of such orders.

The Mahim Rafaees are the oldest and both brothers dear friends of mine..

This procession of the Mahim Police Station takes a lot of time before it reaches the Holy Shrine.. I shot only the proceedings at the Police Station..

Earlier the Chancawalli Rafaees mendicants were called this time they were missing..

Firoze Rafaee did some hardcore Sword stuff..

The surprise was Sharukh drummer a favorite of the hijras.

I did the kaif..I had handed my camera to Sher Khan photographerwho shot my pictures.

The highlight of this event was the Junagadh Siddi drummers and performers.. this will be a separate set on Flickr..

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Mahim Police Station- Sandal Makhdoom Shah Baba 2009

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I start a new set at Flickr - the Mahim Police Station sandal procession on the first day of the Makdoom Shah Baba Urus 2009.

I was invited by Senior Inspector Liaqat Shaikh of the Makhdoom Shah Baba committee .

First there were prayers in a side room where the sandal was kept, after the prayers the Senior Inspector of Mahim Police Station Mr Pawar carried it auspiciously on his head.. this is a long and tiring journey to the Holy Shrine of the Makhdoom Shah Baba Shrine accompanied by Rafaees, police band, Nasik band and the works.

Here you see the entire Mumbai Police officers constables taking turns to carry the sandal at each step towards the Holy Shrine.

I shot this at the Station and returned to Bandra due to urgent work commitments

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Bull Kurbani Stray Thoughts of a Shia Blogger

102,339 items / 668,037 views

Bakra Idd with all its blood , gore is also a reminder for me as a Shia Blogger photographer , that Moharam is just 20 days away and my lens will be splattered with more blood than you see here .

Yes we all look forward to Moharam, when color will give way to black, the only red will be the wounds on our heads and back.

On 1 Dec I shot the Mahim Police sandal of Maqdoom Shah Baba , but my most interesting new subject for photography is the Siddis performers of Junagadh, I had gone to the Dhuni yesterday and again today.

Yesterday the Mumbai Police hassled me endlessly even after shooting so much footage of the cops at the Mahim station..the cops at the gates saw no difference between me and a terrorist..in spite of having a Press Card like a noose round my neck. And it frightens me this excessive use of security for people like me who share cultures rites and rituals all free without even begging for donations to buy a new camera.

.I must be the only blogger that has given prominence to the Mumbai Police at all the feasts and the functions I have shot.. simply because beneath the khaki uniform resides a God , and the policeman is a savior of society..
The Mumbai Police are the most neglected police force, thanks to political interference and apathy and undue interference in the process of law.

Yet the Mumbai Police picks on the barefeet blogger of Mumbai.. yes I am as much a Mumbaikar as they are..

This evening at the Dhuni I shot the Siddis performing I went into Kaif collapsed on the floor luckily I had handed over my camera and camera bag to a guy from the area.

He was quick enough to shoot my trance and my fall.

I was barefeet and my feet are already bruised cut since the Mahim Police Sandal adventure.

I am very depressed with the state of the Chancawalli Rafaees , they have all dispersed , a handful remain under Barsati baba and Amanat Baba..no Hassan Ganda or Farukh Baba..

I met Chalak Ai but did not shoot his pictures..
I do not feel like going to the Dhuni anymore after Handi Sais death..

There are some new babas, and Amanat Baba was quite serious when he told me that they had heard of my death in Rajastahan.. and had offered prayers for my departed soul..
Well dying does no scare me but not paying back the money I borrowed from friends and have been unable to pay would kill me more easily..

So welcome after this to the world of Rafaees .. Siddis and no Hijras..

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Biwi Bacche Ghar Par Intezar Kar Rahe Hain

102,327 items / 668,014 views

drunken dilemma
overflowing remorse
on terra firma
misplaced dharma
lost in transit
the path of karma
disillusioned destiny
in complete coma

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